Sport Witness

Giovani Lo Celso is terribly impressed with his current situation report Estadio Deportivo, who say they’ve spoken to people close to the Tottenham Hotspur player.

They report the 28-year-old should have left Spurs in the summer 2023 window, but he believed promises from Ange Postecoglou that he’d be given more chances.

That didn’t happen, and it was especially frustrating for Lo Celso because it put his Copa America dream with Argentina at risk. Fortunately for the midfielder, he went to the US tournament and whilst he wasn’t a regular starter he managed to get the assist to the goal which won the Copa.

Now he’s back with Spurs and hasn’t been given a look in. Estado Deportivo says there’s been ‘zero dialogue’, presumably from Postecoglou, and Lo Celso is training away from the group.

It would appear the player has now decided he must leave, with it said ‘disagreement is total’ between him and those in charge of Tottenham’s team.

Whilst previous Aston Villa interest is mentioned, he wants to leave English football completely and given the choice would prefer a return to Spain.

Real Betis have long been considering bringing him back, but there’s nothing happening right now in that regard. There’s the distinct possibility Lo Celso could wait and then sign a pre-contract agreement with another club in January, ahead of his contract expiring next summer.

Sweden manager Jon Dahl Tomasson has told Göteborgs-Posten that he’s delighted Lucas Bergvall has signed for Tottenham Hotspur.

The 18-year-old arrived at Tottenham in the summer, after Spurs agreed a deal with Swedish side Djurgårdens IF in February.

Bergvall has made two appearances for Tottenham so far and Ange Postecoglou gave him minutes during the pre-season.

Jon Dahl Tomasson is well aware of the praise the midfielder has received since moving to the north London club. The manager has also contacted Spurs star Dejan Kulusevski to get updates about Bergvall.

“I have seen all the matches he has played so far. He has done well. He has received much praise from the press as well. I have spoken to Kulusevski about him. He takes steps, and it’s fantastic,” he said.

Prior to joining Tottenham, the Sweden international spent his career in his homeland. GP asked the Dane whether Bergvall is ready to play in the Premier League.

“He plays, and the coach uses him. He is a fantastic talent with great potential. Just moving from Sweden to London is a big challenge and change,” Jon Dahl Tomasson explained.

The midfielder made one appearance for Sweden’s senior team in January 2024. There’s been suggestions Jon Dahl Tomasson could include him in the squad for September’s international break.

The manager has refused to confirm that but did state that he’s keeping a close eye on the Tottenham player.

“It depends on how everyone else performs too. We follow all the players we have on the list, and of course he is on it. There are 40-50 players. We follow all of them, every game. I put together clips based on my principles and discuss them with the staff. We follow everyone who is relevant,” he added.

“There’s not a single player in the whole world who can say we don’t follow him. We have seen all the matches. It’s about whether you have the ability to play the football that SvFF want or not, and the football that’s in line with how I want us to play.”

GP state that on Wednesday, Jon Dahl Tomasson will give the ‘final answer’ on whether he’ll include Bergvall in the squad.

Youngster Jude Soonsup-Bell has shared how ‘delighted’ he is at his move from Tottenham to Córdoba CF, and Spurs decision to let him go.

El Dia de Cordoba cover comments from the player today after his move from Tottenham was finalised last week.

Soonsup-Bell has made the surprising decision to swap life at Tottenham for a move to the Spanish second division side this summer.

He’s the latest signing of this window for the Spanish club, who are very excited to have secured his signature and have been making that clear since he arrived.

They’ve already been busy presenting him today in a press conference, during which the former Tottenham man shared his delight about the move.

“I have been interested in the Spanish league and it is an opportunity for me. I have been seeing the city and getting to know the surroundings, and I am delighted to be here,” he said.

“I’m delighted with the atmosphere in the stadium and I’m looking forward to playing. I had the opportunity two years ago to come to Spain and I saw the level of the Second Division.

“(It’s) very similar to the English Championship. The physical prevails more in England, and here the technical. Each one has a different development.”

It now remains to be seen if Soonsup-Bell can make a success of his move, which can certainly be described as a bold one.

He deserves praise for taking the bold step of moving outside of England to continue his development and get the regular playing time he wasn’t going to get at Tottenham.

Córdoba CF are certainly confident that they’ve got the right man and have insisted they’re backed up by the data too.

“(He’s) a player that we have followed from our Big Data department,” added Juan Gutiérrez Juanito, who appeared alongside the player at the press conference.

“We followed him, and the truth is that we are looking forward to him being able to play minutes with us. He is a very quality player, he comes as a forward and winger, but he can play on all attacking fronts.”

Troy Parrott spent seven years at Tottenham Hotspur before leaving them permanently for AZ Alkmaar last month.

The 22-year-old made only four appearances for Tottenham as he was sent out on loan to five clubs, before being sold to the Dutch club.

Last season, Tottenham let the striker join Excelsior Rotterdam, where he managed 17 goals and five assists from 32 games.

This convinced AZ to buy him, but he’s yet to replicate last season’s form. Parrott is yet to score a goal or register an assist for his new club.

After AZ’s goalless draw against FC Groningen on Sunday, De Telegraaf had a chat with the former Spurs man.

The Eredivisie side have scored two goals from three games so far. The report suggests the Republic of Ireland international has to start finding the back of the net regularly, to help his side finish in the top three.

It’s been difficult for the frontman since leaving Tottenham, but he doesn’t want to focus on the criticism aimed towards him.

“That’s fine. People will always have their opinions ready. I just care about what my teammates and the trainer say to me,” he said.

The Irishman has explained what he has to do to start impressing for the Eredivisie side.

“I’ll never talk myself down. That doesn’t help anyone. I always adopt a positive attitude. I have to get into a better scoring position. I also depend on my teammates for that. It is something we are working hard on with the team,” Parrott explained.

Parrott remains confident that it’s only a matter of time before he’s able to s showcase his qualities for AZ.

“No pressure, no panic. I have no doubts whatsoever: the goals will come,” he added.

And there’s plenty of time to justify the big expectations around him.

There’s a claim in the Turkish media that Besiktas are showing interest in Tottenham Hotspur defender Sergio Reguilon.

The Spaniard is surplus to requirements with the Premier League side and this summer he’s already been linked with Besiktas’ local rivals Galatasaray.

A Spor have reported on Reguilon’s future with Spurs, and they say Besiktas are giving consideration to signing the left back in this transfer window. It’s reported the Black Eagles want to bring in a left back before the window closes and the Tottenham man is an option.

The Turkish media outlet report Besiktas’ management and coaching staff are now evaluating the player, and could look to enter into transfer talks for him.

Reguilon spent last season on loan at Manchester United and Brentford after being frozen out at Tottenham. The player isn’t in the plans of Ange Postecoglou and the English side are ready to offload him this summer.

The defender made 28 appearances during his loan spells last season. He’s contracted to Tottenham until June 2025 and has also been linked with a return to Spain in recent weeks.

Over the past week or so, various claims from Brazil and France have stated Tottenham Hotspur are ready to offer €30m for AS Monaco’s Vanderson.

On Thursday, L’Equipe again reported about Tottenham’s interest in the right-back. It was also stated Monaco president Dmitry Rybolovlev may be tempted.

Monaco-Matin, a newspaper local to the Ligue 1 side, talks about Tottenham’s interest in the 23-year-old.

Earlier this week, Jordan Teze left PSV Eindhoven and completed a switch to Monaco. It’s claimed his arrival has ‘strengthened’ the option of the Brazil international joining Spurs this summer.

The newspaper further adds the north London club are keen and would be ‘ready to pay’ more than €30m for the South American.

He made 23 appearances for Monaco last season as his playing time was restricted partly due to two different injuries. Earlier this year, the fullback signed a new deal until 2028.

Despite this, Monaco director Thiago Scuro has left the door open for Vanderson to leave in this window.

“The market is open. Whatever happens, we take it into consideration. With the signing of Teze, we have secured the position,” he said, relayed by Monaco-Matin.

Scuro’s comments could come as an encouragement for Ange Postecoglou’s side.

On Wednesday, claims from the British press came up with a stated Córdoba CF have set their sights on Tottenham Hotspur’s Jude Soonsup-Bell.

El Día de Córdoba, an outlet local to the Spanish club, relay that and then provide their own take on this case.

It’s claimed Córdoba have neither confirmed nor denied the possibility of signing the Tottenham youngster.

Despite this, the report insists the 20-year-old ‘will sign’ for the Segunda División side this summer. El Día de Córdoba aren’t certain whether it’ll be a loan deal or a permanent transfer.

Tottenham signed the forward from Chelsea’s academy in January 2023. He’s been part of Spurs U21 side since then, managing 14 goals and eight assists, of which 12 goals and eight assists were from last season.

Soonsup-Bell hasn’t made an appearance for Tottenham’s first team so far. Despite this, Córdoba have decided to make a ‘big bet’ on the youngster.

The report points out they have been focusing only on Spanish players in this window, suggesting that it’s surprising Córdoba have decided to bet on the Englishman.

El Día de Córdoba are insisting the attacker ‘will sign’ for the lower division Spanish club. The next few hours or days should provide clarity on the details of the operation.

Barcelona’s Andreas Christensen has emerged as a surprise target for Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, according to Sport.

Hansi Flick currently has several centre-backs at the Camp Nou and his side are working to get rid of at least one of them. The La Liga side have identified the 28-year-old and Eric García as two candidates.

Barca are looking to make two more signings but will have to offload players to balance their wage bill.

Sport say one of Christensen and García will leave before the window closes and the final choice will depend on the offers, they’ll receive.

The Denmark international’s agent also represents Barca’s İlkay Gündoğan, who is about to return to Manchester City. The representative knows the Premier League market well and has received some surveys from several clubs.

It’s not made clear whether both Tottenham and Manchester United have contacted Christensen’s agent.

However, Sport say the Premier League duo ‘on the lookout’ for the Dane. Spurs and the Red Devils could consider signing the former Chelsea man if he opens the exit door. Barca would need at least €25m to sanction a deal.

For now, the two English club are just keeping an eye on the player. It feels like they are dragged into the mix to put pressure on another serious contender.

We don’t need to tell you that Antonio Conte sometimes rubs players up the wrong way, and that was certainly the case at Chelsea and Tottenham.

That’s according to journalist Maurizio Pistocchi, via FC Inter 1908, who has claimed that players at both clubs threatened to leave if he wasn’t sacked.

Conte is currently in charge of Napoli after taking charge of the club this summer following their disastrous title defence last season.

His arrival at the club has been welcomed by all, with many excited to get an experienced, title winning manager in the dugout.

The club have backed him in the transfer market so far as he looks to reshape the team, but their season got off to a terrible start at the weekend with a 3-0 defeat away to Verona.

Conte reacted to that result as one would imagine, providing an acerbic, unimpressed response to questions on the defeat when questioned about it after the game.

That hinted at some early cracks in his relationship with Napoli, something which will cause plenty of concern given how things have gone for him at some of his previous jobs.

Conte almost always leaves clubs under something of a cloud, often after a major falling out, which was very much the case at Chelsea and Tottenham according to Pistocchi.

“Good coach but with only one idea in his head. And it’s not always wonderful,” FC Inter 1908 quote him saying.

“At Chelsea and Tottenham, the most talented players threatened to leave if he stayed, at Juve and Inter whoever replaced him did better than him. I repeat good coach but with only one idea (and that’s not good).”

It doesn’t seem as if Giovani lo Celso has a future at Tottenham Hotspur, with reports from Argentina making his situation clear.

He made a fleeting impact in the absence of James Maddison last season, but the Argentine wasn’t part of the squad for their 1-1 draw against Leicester City earlier this week.

As days tick down for the summer transfer window to close, Lo Celso could well be scrambling to seek a move.

Ole in Argentina report that Lo Celso ‘desires a new destiny’, suggesting that he wants to leave the club. As far as Ole, the country’s premier sports newspaper, have it, Ange Postecoglou isn’t considering the player this season.

Aston Villa have been mentioned as a potential candidate, with interest from Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce also getting a mention.

Interest from Aston Villa is encouraged by Unai Emery having managed him at Villarreal, where Lo Celso enjoyed a bit of a renaissance in his loan spell in Spain.

That is why a move to Villa could interest Lo Celso, who is also a potential target for Saudi Arabia side Al Qadsiah, who like Paulo Dybala but have the Tottenham man as an alternative.

Ole seem more excited by the Aston Villa chance, and Lo Celso working under Emery.